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# Dell XPS M1530 vs. Apple MacBook Pro
- URL: https://www.skatter.com/dell-xps-m1530-vs-apple-macbook-pro/
- Published: 2008-03-09T06:15:40.000Z
- Updated: 2020-05-09T23:16:35.000Z
- Description: I was in the market to buy a new laptop earlier this year and I came down to comparing to machines: the Dell XPS M1530 and the Apple MacBook Pro. I compared both of them to every aspect I could possibly come up with. Anyways both machines recently have received some upgrades so I thought…
- Author: Sahas Katta
- Tags: Hacks, apple, dell, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-03-10 07:31

I was in the market to buy a new [laptop](http://skatter.com/tag/laptop/?ref=skatter.com) earlier this year and I came down to comparing to machines: the [Dell](http://www.dell.com/?ref=skatter.com) XPS M1530 and the [Apple](http://www.apple.com/?ref=skatter.com) MacBook Pro. I compared both of them to every aspect I could possibly come up with. Anyways both machines recently have received some upgrades so I thought I should update both comparison lists for those of you who might be looking for a new 15-inch notebook.

![XPS M1530 vs. MacBook Pro](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/6b/476bc173-490d-4d77-8ad6-7dd5332b1ea7/content/images/files/2008/03/xps-m1530-vs-macbook-pro.jpg)

**Update 4/20/08:** Dell is now offering a 1440×900 LED and 1920×1080 Full HD displays.

I gave Apple a point for the Screen since they offer a non-glossy option which I truly prefer due to glare. Dell was expected to push out a LED screen over a month ago, however it hasn’t happened yet. The body of the MacBook Pro is cleaner, simpler, and lighter compared to the XPS 1530\. In terms of [Operating Systems](http://skatter.com/tag/os/?ref=skatter.com), if you want OS X Leopard, chances are you won’t be able to get it working on a XPS; however it should a breeze to install Vista/XP on a MacBook Pro with Boot Camp. Leopard can use 4GB of RAM; however you’ll need 64-bit editions of Vista or XP to utilize all of it. Dell offers many more options for HDDs including a 64GB SSD which would be unusual for a 15-inch laptop. Dell also lets you turn your XPS into a [Blu-ray](https://www.skatter.com/tag/blu-ray/) player with an optional Blu-ray read/write drive which is great for watching high definition movies. I was irritated to find out that the XPS didn’t have gigabit Ethernet, which is great for transferring large files on a local network, especially when most new laptops have it. Apple won the keyboard war with its beautiful backlit keyboard with an ambient light sensor. However the XPS makes up with a Finger Print Sensor, which is great for bypassing typing passwords when people are around, and a better Web Camera. The XPS comes with a media remote control which tucks away into the express card slot while Apple now charges an additional $20 for their Front Row remote. The XPS M1530 can also be configured with a Sprint or Verizon mobile broadband card which will utilize the laptop’s antennas for better signal gain. I choose the 6-cell battery for the XPS since it was the best one which didn’t stick out. It offered only 2.5 hours of work time while the MacBook Pro gets about 3 hours.

If you didn’t already notice, there’s one major factor I left out on the chart: price. This part is what made me make my final decision which was to go with the Dell M1530\. Dell offered a pretty good student discount in addition to [their constant promotions](http://www.notebookreview.com/dellCoupon.asp?ref=skatter.com). Apple also offers [such discounts](http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/routingpage.html?ref=skatter.com), but are incomparable to what Dell offers. With both configured to the highest similar specifications, the MacBook Pro was getting very close to $3000 while the Dell XPS was about $500 cheaper costing about $2500\. In addition for those of you on a strict budget like I was, there’s more flexibility to remove unneeded components with the Dell to bring the price down. Anyways, that’s my two cents so please feel free to make comments.

**Links: [Apple MacBook Pro](http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/?ref=skatter.com) | [Dell XPS M1530](http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb%5Fm1530?ref=skatter.com)**